Community Continence Clinics

• The Community Continence Team
• What happens at a continence clinic appointment
• Referrals

The Community Continence Team

The Community Continence Team support children under 16 from Sheffield with any of the following:

• bedwetting from age six if there has been no response to professional advice regarding increasing drinks and toileting for three months
• day-time wetting from age four if advice has been given for three months regarding increasing drinks and regular toileting and their GP has excluded constipation and urinary tract infections
• constipation when not responding to treatment by their GP for three months
• soiling when not responding to treatment by their GP for three months
• toilet training problems from age five, including children with special needs, after adequate input and supervision from their GP, health visitor, special needs or MAST support workers

We hold clinics at Centenary House and the Northern General Hospital where we assess children thoroughly and arrange necessary investigations.

The community continence team has a number of doctors, specialist continence nurses and support workers along with the input from a clinical psychologist.

Who are these clinics for?

These clinics are for children under the age of 16 years with any of the following:

• Bed wetting from age 6 years if no response to advice given by GP, HV, Community Nursery Nurse, SN or MAST Support Worker for 6 months regarding increasing drinks and toileting as per NICE guidelines, and no nappies or pull ups for 1 week during this time.
• Day-time wetting from age 4 years if no response to advice given by GP, HV, Community Nursery Nurse, School Nurse or MAST Support Worker for 3 months regarding increasing drinks and regular toileting and the GP has seen to exclude constipation and urinary tract infections.
• Constipation when not responding to treatment for 3 months by GP as per NICE guidelines.
• Soiling when not responding to treatment for 3 months by GP as per NICE guidelines.
• Toilet training problems from age 4 years, including children with special needs, after adequate input and supervision for 6 months from the GP HV, Community Nursery Nurse, SN or MAST support worker.
• Continence products may be available from the age of 5 years for children and young people who have additional needs and where toilet training is not possible. Referral by GP or Ryegate Doctors only

Referrals

GPs, health visitors and school nurses can refer you to these clinics.

What could happen at your visit?

Children and their parents / carers will have the opportunity to talk about the problem and how it affects them.  A full assessment will be carried out including a physical examination.   A urine sample may be needed.  Charts may be sent prior to the first appointment to help assess the problems.  Other investigations may be arranged.

Information about the child’s condition will be given, children and their parents / carers will be involved in deciding what would be the best course of action.  This could include general advice, advice about drinks and diet, medication or alarm therapy (for bed-wetting), or a toilet training programme and laxatives (for constipation).

Children and parents / carers are asked to fill in charts to record success and progress and bring these to clinic appointments. This information is important to assess the child and decide on treatment plans.

We aim to work in partnership with families and ask for their cooperation in our management and treatment plans

Please note that your child may not be seen by the same health professional in clinic at every appointment but may see another member of the team without compromising the care of the child.

Further support

Further information and advice for professionals and parents on day and night wetting, constipation and soiling and toilet training is available on our website and the ERIC (Education & Resources for Improving Childhood Continence) website.